Cybersecurity teams in Europe battle more attacks amid slow reforms
Cybersecurity teams across Europe are struggling to keep pace with an increase in cyberattacks, while budgets and staff levels show only slight improvement, according to new research from ISACA.
The State of Cyber 2025 report highlights that 39% of European IT and cybersecurity professionals say their organisation is facing more attacks compared to this time last year, with a further 27% reporting a similar number of incidents. Despite this, confidence in organisational readiness is low, with only 38% of professionals feeling completely confident in their organisation's ability to detect and respond to incidents effectively.
As the frequency and complexity of cyberattacks continue to rise, the stress on cybersecurity professionals is significant. The report finds that 65% of surveyed professionals point to the increasingly complex threat landscape as a major factor causing stress in their roles.
Persistent staffing and funding gaps
Although there have been modest gains in funding and staffing, these improvements are not keeping pace with the escalating threat landscape. Over half (58%) of respondents report that their organisation remains understaffed-a marginal improvement of three percentage points from last year. Budget constraints persist, with 54% indicating their organisation is still underfunded, though slightly better than the 58% reported in 2024.
More than two-thirds (68%) of professionals say their job is more stressful now than it was five years ago, with this sentiment unchanged since last year. More than half (54%) cite unrealistic expectations or excessive workloads, 48% mention a poor work-life balance, and 36% indicate their teams lack the necessary skills or training. Furthermore, 22% of organisations have yet to take any action to address or prevent employee burnout.
"Over the past year, the public has seen first-hand just how impactful cyberattacks can be, with high-profile breaches devastating businesses and dominating headlines," said Chris Dimitriadis, Chief Global Strategy Officer at ISACA. "At the same time, the overall volume of attacks is rising, with almost two in five organisations experiencing more incidents than a year ago.
"While organisations are starting to acknowledge the problem and take steps to address long-standing issues in budgets and staffing, the pace of change is still far too slow. The reality is that cyber criminals are moving faster than most organisations can respond. Now is the time to invest in investing in a more holistically trained cybersecurity workforce, an investment towards customer trust and in gaining competitive advantages, not just a reactive move following an incident."
Retention and recruitment challenges
The ability to retain and attract skilled cybersecurity professionals is another pressing issue. Among professionals familiar with their organisations' hiring practices, 52% say they are struggling to retain qualified staff. Entry-level roles are particularly hard to fill, with 19% of organisations reporting vacancies in positions that do not require experience, a degree or credentials, yet 45% say it still takes three to six months to fill these roles.
Hiring expectations may be compounding the challenge. While 55% of respondents see a university degree as important, 84% value professional credentials and 73% prefer hands-on training. ISACA suggests expanding recruitment pathways and providing training for candidates without conventional backgrounds could help grow the talent pipeline.
"To build resilience and keep pace with the evolving threat landscape, we must widen the pathways into cybersecurity. By valuing hands-on training, professional credentials and transferable skills, organisations can strengthen their teams and ease the pressure on overstretched professionals. But recruitment is only the start; continuous training and upskilling are critical. That is how we move from slow, incremental change to real progress, reducing stress and building long-term protection,"
added Dimitriadis.
Increasing involvement in AI
While workforce challenges persist, cybersecurity teams are playing a growing role in the governance and implementation of artificial intelligence. Over half of European professionals (51%) say they have helped develop their organisation's AI governance framework-an increase from 36% last year. Similarly, 46% are now directly involved in AI implementation, up from 27%.
AI technologies are increasingly present in day-to-day cybersecurity operations, with common uses including threat detection (29%), endpoint security (28%) and the automation of routine tasks (27%). The accelerating adoption of AI points to the need for stronger AI security legislation and continuous upskilling, particularly as European regulations such as the EU AI Act and NIS2 advance, and the UK prepares its own AI legislation.
The ISACA research is based on fieldwork during May 2025 among 740 business and IT professionals in Europe, within a wider international survey of more than 3,800 participants worldwide.
